1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an image processing apparatus and method, and a program. More specifically, the present invention relates to an image processing apparatus and method, and a program which enable detection of various pull-down patterns.
2. Description of the Related Art
Techniques for converting a frame rate are becoming increasingly commonplace.
As a representative example of such techniques, there has been proposed a technique whereby the frame rate of 24 fps (Frame Per Second) used in film is converted into the frame rate of 30 ftp used in television by a pull-down process called 2-3 pull-down (see, for example, Japanese Unexamined Patent Application Publication No. 2006-253766).
According to the 2-3 pull-down process, for example, the image of the first frame of a film is used for the first and second fields of a television image, the image of the second frame of the film is used for the third to fifth fields of the television image, the image of the third frame of the film is used for the sixth and seventh fields of the television image, and the image of the fourth frame of the film is used for the eighth to tenth fields of the television image. By sequentially repeating this process, the frame rate of 24 fps is converted into 30 fps. In this case, the odd-numbered fields are top fields, and the even-numbered fields are bottom fields. A one frame of television image is generated by a succession of an odd-numbered field and an even-numbered field. There are also other types of pull-down pattern, such as 2-2 pull-down.